In addition to poetry, Larkin had a lifelong admiration for jazz, evidenced by his nonfiction book, All What Jazz: A Record Diary. Although he received and accepted numerous awards for his writing, Larkin refused to accept the nomination as England's Poet Laureate.
When Larkin died from cancer in 1985, a great deal of his poems was left unpublished. However, Anthony Thwaite edited a book of Larkin's collected poems, many of which were previously unpublished. Thwaite also edited a collection of Larkin's personal correspondence. The publishing of the book of letters sparked many people in the literary realm to question his character, accusing him of being racist and misogynist. This questioning in turn caused readers to question the quality of his poetry. However, Larkin remains a powerful and well-known figure in contemporary poetry.
HIGH WINDOWS
“High Windows,” a poem written amidst the sexual revolution of the 1960s, is a reaction from an older generation to a sexually liberated youth. Through the language and what the speaker chooses to impart to the reader, Larkin accentuates the speaker’s desire to understand and relate to a younger generation.
In 1974, when “High Windows” was published, Larkin was fifty-two years old, a middle-aged man living in a world increasingly structured for the enjoyment of the young. Larkin makes the distinction between himself and those 'all under twenty-five'. And in “High Windows” Larkin looks again in more detail at his position as an ageing man in a young world.
“High Windows” is the culmination of Larkin's disappointment. Now Larkin indicates his outlook as being that of a middle-aged man living a middle-aged life while all around lies evidence of what he has missed out on.
'High Windows' itself is concerned with just this, which indicates how much Larkin is concerned with the difference between the middle-aged and the young in that he should title the collection after this poem. Larkin looks at the sexual freedom of the younger generation and compares that generation with his own.
The thinking behind the concept of 'High Windows' is one of the under-currents which flow beneath the meaning of the poetry in the collection. As Larkin looks at the freedom given to the generation which has succeeded his own in the poem 'High Windows', he is confronted with an optimistic image of endlessness:
„And immediately /Rather than words comes the thought of high windows:/ The sun-comprehending glass,/ And beyond it, the deep blue air, that shows/ Nothing, and is nowhere, and is endless.“
Larkin is praising the virtue of forever looking forward and upward: his conception of the future is one of hope embodied in the image of high windows, out of reach and incomprehensible for those living in the present, but the 'deep blue air' which characterises that hope will be the inheritance of a future generation.
This is the view of life which preoccupies Larkin throughout “High Windows”. He has left behind him the years of his youth, has reached 'that vague age that claims/The end of choice' and all that remains to him is movement towards death and the disappointment of looking back over his own life in comparison with the lives of the young generations who have succeeded to his world.
CHURCHGOING
In Philip Larkin's poem, "Churchgoing," Larkin depicts the confusion of an individual, the persona, who is compelled to enter the churches he sees on his bicycle rides. His problem is that every time he comes away feeling as if he has wasted his time. Larkin uses the persona to describe his feelings toward religion. The persona is split between two ideas of religion. The holy, "ceremonious" view the church takes, versus the belief in the pure spirituality.
The persona although drawn to the church seems to be mocking it once inside. His descriptions of the hymnals as "little books," and the altar as "the holy end," degrade the holiness of the church. Ironically, he doesn't think twice about removing his "cycle clips" in place of his hat to show his "reverence". This acts show that for some reason the persona has some respect for at least a part of the church. Larkin uses irony in this situation possibly to depict how the persona's manner at Church has been drilled into his head, most likely as a child. The reason he is conflicted is because he grew up under certain ideals, and although his views may have changed, he can't break his old habits. The act that represents his confusion is when he drops the "Irish sixpence" in the collection box. He continues his old habit, while he also mocks the church by contributing to what is essentially nothing but a circular piece of metal.
When it comes to religion, we can choose either to believe or not to believe. Some have faith in a supreme being, and week after week, devoutly cram into the church of their choice and recite their prayers. In contrast, there are nonbelievers. They see religion as an escape from reality - a false hope that after living a long and difficult life, an omniscient, unconditionally loving deity will welcome them into an eternal existence.
In the poem, the speaker is also a nonbeliever. But whether his lack of faith is in a supreme being is not evident. Rather, his agnosticism is more the result of his displeasure with declining religion. As he walks through the church, unhappy with his surroundings, a tone of disappointment and disbelief becomes apparent.
The first stanza introduces us to the speaker as someone who is in church more out of curiosity than religious fervor. He enters only when he is "sure there’s nothing going on," which immediately distinguishes him from other people who go to church.
Philip Larkin in his poem treats the theme of religion as a disrespectful ideology which is not worth believing or mentioning. Religion is viewed as an invention of the church in order to control the population. The poets take an almost protective stand in defence of readers from religion and superstition.
The Church, also known as the house of God, is seen by the poet as a current building and all being alike, "another church: matting, seats, and stone..." some brass and stuff" which gives the reader a very dismissive attitude from the poet. He agrees that the church disserves no believe or respect "Hatless, I take off my cycle-clips in awkward reverence."
Instead of commenting on the beauty of the church, he looks at the roof asking himself if it is "cleaned, or restored"" It seems that the poet is disrespectful - donating an Irish sixpence and then further emphasizing, "reflect the place was not worth stopping for."
The poet is for sure that churches will fall down except for some, which will be kept as a chronic symbol where women will bring their children to touch a particular stone believing that they will work as a spell. His opinion is that "superstition, like belief, must die." This supposes a strong blow against the church and towards believe.
Philip Larkin asks himself who will be the last to see the church before it deteriorates completely "some ruin-bibber" some "Christmas-addict" someone obsessed with church or someone just like him who has no believe or sympathy with the church.
For the poet, the church is the place of marriage, birth and death and believes that that causes people to become fanatic towards church because they see it as the place that marks the most important points of life.
Larkin also sees the church trying to make people see natural things of life such as birth and having children as being in their destiny and that people will always look for the spiritual side.